Will appeal for release of convicts if Centre withdraws farm laws, says Cong MP Bittu

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Sunday said that his family will appeal for the release of convicts in his grandfather and former chief minister Beant Singh assassination case if the central government withdraws three farm laws.

This comes a day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal urged the Union government to set free Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted in Beant Singh assassination case and has spent over two decades in jail.

The Ludhiana MP alleged that the SAD is a B team of BJP. “On the calls of BJP and RSS, an application for daily hearing before January 26 has been filed in the Supreme Court for the release of Rajoana who killed my grandfather Beant Singh and 17 others,” Bittu said. “Badal is saying Rajoana should be released from jail as soon as possible. But I want to ask if your father, who has been chief minister for five terms, was murdered then would your son go to rescue/ release those killers?” he questioned.

The Supreme Court had on Friday asked the Centre to decide before January 26 on the plea seeking commutation of the death penalty of Rajoana. Bittu said if “the BJP wants that the convicted should be released, we will appeal for the release of convicts before President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice and CBI but in exchange, they have to withdraw three farm laws against which farmers are protesting at different borders of Delhi for over a month now.

SAD seeks time with Prez, Sukhbir to lead delegation

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Sunday that he would lead a delegation of the party to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and push for the release of Rajoana, assassin of former CM Beant Singh. He said the move was a follow-up of the Centre’s earlier decision to commute Rajoana’s death sentence into life term.